Abby Smith joined Head Over Heels as an athlete in 2001 and continued on Girls Competitive Team until 2013. After doctors decided in was in her best interest to stop doing gymnastics to focus on healing her back, she talked to Joy Ashe about potentially working there. She began coaching Preschool and Camps once she could get her work permit from her high school at 15 and a half. After going away for college and deciding she needed to be living at home, she started back at Head Over Heels and quickly started working recreational classes on top of camps and preschool classes. Abby began helping with the Xcel competitive team in 2018. After teaching on Zoom during the pandemic, she took on the responsibility of being the Head Coach for Xcel. Eventually this lead to her helping to coach on the Girls Team whilst still coaching preschool, recreational classes, and Xcel. Now, since coming off of coaching the Girls Team in June, she is shining in her new role as Recreational Manager whilst still being the Head coach of the Xcel competitive team. Being able to coach her preschool and recreational classes alongside of coaching Xcel has been what has allowed her to develop her skills to be the new Recreational Manager and has made her into the amazing coach she is now.
Some fun background you may not know:
· 2013 Regional Qualifier for Women’s Competitive Gymnastics as an athlete in her last years of competing
· In all of her years of gymnastics, only ever had one cast- for a fracture on her seismoid bone on her left big toe (She still keeps the cast as memory of her time on the competitive team)
· 2020 Graduate with Associates in Language Arts from Laney College
Outside of her work with Head Over Heels, Abby enjoys helping her family to raise her teenage brother who loves to come to the gym to see all of the familiar faces. Her love for Head Over Heels and her love for coaching children of all ages has helped her to develop the skills she has now that make her a kind, understanding, and communicative coach to all.